My little Mabel was born one month ago.
What a crazy time and filled with lots of magical moments. Motherhood is wonderful. But not without its challenges. I don't think anyone can comprehend how all consuming having a newborn is. I was concentrating so much on the birth that I didn't really think of actually looking after a child full time.
The first nights were hard. She cried a lot in the evenings! It's heartbreaking because you want to help them so much. As Mabel had been in the neonatal ward, she was used to noise and lights and at night I think she hated the dark and quiet. Me and Sam patiently tried to keep her happy and rock her to sleep, sometimes it worked! But he had to be back at work fairly quickly and couldn't be up all night so I began sleeping downstairs with her on the sofa, her in her basket. I was breastfeeding but also giving her formula if I felt she was still hungry. It began to get better. One night she fell asleep on my chest and I waited until she was fully asleep before I transferred her into the basket, I must have drifted off myself because I woke up about 4 hours later and she was still sound asleep! Best sleep I'd had in weeks! Had to wake her to feed her! But it's not safe sleeping with baby on a sofa and I had to be more careful... ! As she was getting better, some nights not even crying at all, just murmuring when she got hungry, I decided to venture back upstairs to our bed.
It was fairly successful but after another couple of accidents of falling asleep with her on me I decided to try her asleep next to me in bed. I read up heavily on co-sleeping and wanted to make it as safe as possible. No duvet or pillows that she could get stuck in. I'm a very light sleeper so wasn't worried about rolling on her. I wake up at the smallest sound she makes. We have a king size bed so she pretty much had her own half with a guard up so she cant roll out. Co-sleeping has so many benefits and most importantly we were getting decent sleep! She would cry a bit in the evening but would then sleep from 12-4 then 4.30-7.30 without crying just a feed in the middle. I also perfected the art of breastfeeding lying down so neither of us would even have to get out of bed (!)
I know co-sleeping is a controversial debate with safety and weaning issues but it works for us. She likes being close to me and I love waking up with her beside me. I still put her in her basket for some of her sleeps so shes still happy to sleep alone but generally she's in with us and we all get a good nights sleep. Makes me a better mum in the days too as I'm not sleep deprived and grumpy :)
She loves her milk, she's weighing about 11lbs now. So many baby clothes did not get worn! She's in the 98th percentile for weight!! Crazy as I'm so small! Well not as small as I was but I've already lost two stone of baby weight without trying so only one more to go! Not too worried yet though as need to keep my energy up for breastfeeding and can't exercise until it's been 6 weeks. Breastfeeding also burns 500 calories a day apparently so happy days! The breastfeeding is going well so far, not too sore ever and it's so convenient. Very rarely do we top up with formula anymore but the option's there if I ever need to go out for a few hours. Have expressed successfully too so I think il be continuing for at least 3 months. Very consuming of your life though and without forward planning no one can help you with feeds. Pros and cons with both. Sam was very keen for me to do it so his support has kept me motivated through sore spots and nipple shields and now I'm very glad I persevered.
We have been on some nice walks, a couple of lunches but had a lot of time chilling at home together too. I'm going to savour this time as its already speeding by and she's getting so big! She's started to smile at us now which is amazing She loves getting her nappy changed and kicking her legs about in the bath. Everyday she's focussing on us more and more. She's started making little noises at us, she makes the most adorable sound when she sneezes <3 I genuinely fall more in love with her everyday.
She's had so many cards and presents and visitors. What a lucky girl. She's going to be spoilt rotten. I'm worried I'm giving her too many cuddles already, don't want to put her down and I can't leave her to cry for longer than a minute. But I don't care, I love her so much and I just want her to be the happiest girl in the world. When I see her and Sam having cuddles it makes my heart burst with love. I know how lucky I am and want to appreciate every second of it. It's going so fast already and every cuddle is going to be savoured while she's still my little newborn.
Have started a loose routine in the evenings but still adjusting it. Next months update should hopefully be in more of a pattern but I'm not too worried yet as she'sx only 4 weeks! I'm trying to take lots of photos and videos to keep track of her. Trying not to upload too many so I'm not driving people crazy but follow me on Instagram for Mabel pics. I'm biased but I think she's pretty freaking adorable.
What a crazy time and filled with lots of magical moments. Motherhood is wonderful. But not without its challenges. I don't think anyone can comprehend how all consuming having a newborn is. I was concentrating so much on the birth that I didn't really think of actually looking after a child full time.
The first nights were hard. She cried a lot in the evenings! It's heartbreaking because you want to help them so much. As Mabel had been in the neonatal ward, she was used to noise and lights and at night I think she hated the dark and quiet. Me and Sam patiently tried to keep her happy and rock her to sleep, sometimes it worked! But he had to be back at work fairly quickly and couldn't be up all night so I began sleeping downstairs with her on the sofa, her in her basket. I was breastfeeding but also giving her formula if I felt she was still hungry. It began to get better. One night she fell asleep on my chest and I waited until she was fully asleep before I transferred her into the basket, I must have drifted off myself because I woke up about 4 hours later and she was still sound asleep! Best sleep I'd had in weeks! Had to wake her to feed her! But it's not safe sleeping with baby on a sofa and I had to be more careful... ! As she was getting better, some nights not even crying at all, just murmuring when she got hungry, I decided to venture back upstairs to our bed.
It was fairly successful but after another couple of accidents of falling asleep with her on me I decided to try her asleep next to me in bed. I read up heavily on co-sleeping and wanted to make it as safe as possible. No duvet or pillows that she could get stuck in. I'm a very light sleeper so wasn't worried about rolling on her. I wake up at the smallest sound she makes. We have a king size bed so she pretty much had her own half with a guard up so she cant roll out. Co-sleeping has so many benefits and most importantly we were getting decent sleep! She would cry a bit in the evening but would then sleep from 12-4 then 4.30-7.30 without crying just a feed in the middle. I also perfected the art of breastfeeding lying down so neither of us would even have to get out of bed (!)
I know co-sleeping is a controversial debate with safety and weaning issues but it works for us. She likes being close to me and I love waking up with her beside me. I still put her in her basket for some of her sleeps so shes still happy to sleep alone but generally she's in with us and we all get a good nights sleep. Makes me a better mum in the days too as I'm not sleep deprived and grumpy :)
She loves her milk, she's weighing about 11lbs now. So many baby clothes did not get worn! She's in the 98th percentile for weight!! Crazy as I'm so small! Well not as small as I was but I've already lost two stone of baby weight without trying so only one more to go! Not too worried yet though as need to keep my energy up for breastfeeding and can't exercise until it's been 6 weeks. Breastfeeding also burns 500 calories a day apparently so happy days! The breastfeeding is going well so far, not too sore ever and it's so convenient. Very rarely do we top up with formula anymore but the option's there if I ever need to go out for a few hours. Have expressed successfully too so I think il be continuing for at least 3 months. Very consuming of your life though and without forward planning no one can help you with feeds. Pros and cons with both. Sam was very keen for me to do it so his support has kept me motivated through sore spots and nipple shields and now I'm very glad I persevered.
We have been on some nice walks, a couple of lunches but had a lot of time chilling at home together too. I'm going to savour this time as its already speeding by and she's getting so big! She's started to smile at us now which is amazing She loves getting her nappy changed and kicking her legs about in the bath. Everyday she's focussing on us more and more. She's started making little noises at us, she makes the most adorable sound when she sneezes <3 I genuinely fall more in love with her everyday.
She's had so many cards and presents and visitors. What a lucky girl. She's going to be spoilt rotten. I'm worried I'm giving her too many cuddles already, don't want to put her down and I can't leave her to cry for longer than a minute. But I don't care, I love her so much and I just want her to be the happiest girl in the world. When I see her and Sam having cuddles it makes my heart burst with love. I know how lucky I am and want to appreciate every second of it. It's going so fast already and every cuddle is going to be savoured while she's still my little newborn.
Have started a loose routine in the evenings but still adjusting it. Next months update should hopefully be in more of a pattern but I'm not too worried yet as she'sx only 4 weeks! I'm trying to take lots of photos and videos to keep track of her. Trying not to upload too many so I'm not driving people crazy but follow me on Instagram for Mabel pics. I'm biased but I think she's pretty freaking adorable.